Fans Raise Harrison’s “Fire Nico” Chant During Mavericks’ Collapse Against Bucks, Even Though Dallas Still Had a Chance to Win
Dallas Mavericks fans have had enough.
This is not a new phenomenon. But Monday night marked a new low in the Nico Harrison saga when Dallas fans took up the “Fire Nico” chant during a home game the Mavericks still had a chance to win.
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With 1.2 seconds remaining against the Milwaukee Bucks, Mavericks forward PJ Washington was fouled on a 3-point shot as Milwaukee led 116-113.
When he got to the line with a chance to tie the game with three free throws, Mavericks fans focused their energy not on the outcome of the game, but on their disdain for Dallas general manager Luka Dončić trading away.
This is how it looked and sounded on TV. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo noticed this as he prepared to leave.
That clip is from shortly after Washington missed the second of three free throws, ending any chance for the Mavericks to win short of a miracle.
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But make no mistake. Mavericks fans were focused on firing Harrison when the Mavs were in better shape to win the game and also when they were ahead. Here’s what it looked and sounded like from the upper deck during Washington’s previous free throws as the Mavericks led in the fourth quarter.
And here they were again singing “Fire Nico” as anointed franchise savior Cooper Flagg stood at the line for two free throws as the Bucks led 112-109 with a minute left.
Flagg made both free throws in arguably his best night as a pro to cut Milwaukee’s lead to one point. He finished the game with 26 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block while shooting 9 of 15 from the field. According to ESPN Research, he tied LeBron James at 18 years and 324 days as the youngest player to ever score more than 25 points in an NBA game.
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He also hit a layup over Antetokounmpo to give the Mavericks a 113-112 lead in the final minute of the game.
But it wasn’t enough to secure the Mavericks’ victory as the Bucks took the lead for good with a Ryan Rollins layup at the other end.
And it wasn’t nearly enough to satiate Mavericks fans, who watched an 88-79 fourth-quarter lead collapse in another loss that dropped Dallas to 3-8 on the season.
The Mavericks hit the jackpot with a historically long-shot win in the Draft Lottery for the right to secure Flagg first overall. That fortune provided Harrison with temporary cover from the scorn that surrounded him in Dallas for trading Dončić to the rival Los Angeles Lakers.
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There was some hope in Dallas that Flagg could join Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving to compete in the West this season. But the oft-injured Davis, acquired in exchange for Dončić, was injured again and missed his sixth consecutive game on Monday night. And Irving remains without a timeline for his return from last season’s torn ACL.
Regardless, this team doesn’t seem two aging, lame-duck stars away from competing at the top of the West with the Thunder and Nuggets, not even close. And the tension on Harrison is higher than ever.
Mavericks fans are more than happy to keep turning up the volume.